Can't adjust the color of the backlighting like in other Razer models. Glossy frame attracts smudges.

Bottom Line

The Razer Black Widow Ultimate keyboard provides users with a light and springy typing experience, but personal taste may set in when considering the clicky keys.

Mechanical keyboards, as opposed to gaming or even traditional keyboards, aren't what you'd call "trendy;" they clack like an old-style typewriter (remember those?) and sport the traditional key layout as opposed to the trendier chiclet keys found in the Apple Wireless Keyboard ($79 direct, 4 stars). The Razer Black Widow Ultimate ($129.99 direct) is part of the mechanical gaming keyboard class. Initially, I thought the constant clickety-clack of the keyboard would become an annoyance to myself and my coworkers. Instead, it became a satisfying background noise. Touch typists and those who are regularly glued to their desks will delight in the Black Widow's typing experience and extensive feature set.

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Design
The Black Widow Ultimate takes a gaming angle in its mechanical keyboard design: The characters representing each key have a future-tech font style that's blocky, and the very structure of the sleek black frame is all about the angles. Unfortunately, the keyboard's glossy frame attracts fingerprints and smudges. Topping off the Black Widow's design features is the adjustable blue backlighting, which will appeal to the midnight gamers or late-night workers. Although you can adjust the brightness via one of the function keys, however, you can't change the lighting color as you can with what other Razer keyboards, like the Razer Anansi ($99.99 direct, 4 stars).

Instead of having a flat layout, like most standard keyboards, the Black Widow separates each row of keys into tiersmuch like a typewriter. If it changed my typing experience at all, it was minor change that I didn't notice.

On the left side of the keyboard, there are five customizable keys that can be reprogrammed via the macro-editing software (more on that below). On the right of the keyboard is a numeric keypad for number crunchers or reprogramming the keys for your game. Along the top of the keyboard are the function keys, which also double as media keys that allow you to control the volume on your computer and play/pause and skip keys to help control your music or movies. There's even a "gaming" function key that, when turned on, disables the Window's key.

Features
The Black Widow Ultimate has plug-and-play capabilities, but if you want to edit your keys and create macros, then I suggest downloading the Configuration software from Razer's website to enhance your experience. This software is Windows XP, Vista, and 7 compatible onlysorry, no Mac support. The software is easy to navigate, there's a full virtual layout of the keyboard in the user interface (UI). To change a key's preset function, you highlight the designated key on the virtual keyboard and select what function you'd like to assign to it. You may choose to have it launch a program, revert back to its factory key setting, assign another key's meaning to it, switch profiles, or assign other various macros.

Managing and creating macros (customizing key functions) is easy: You can record a stream of keys with or without time delays, and then go into the recording and insert a revised delay, delete, or change the key. The Black Widow Ultimate's software also gives you a selection of basic commands, like cut, copy, and close window that should be more useful for the spreadsheet enthusiast.

If you're between game sessions or raids, you won't always have the opportunity to open up the macro editing program. That's why the Black Widow Ultimate has an on-the-fly macro editor. After pressing the Fn + ALT you can begin creating your key combination that will make up your macro. It also records delays. When finished, pressing the Fn + ALT keys again allows you to assign your string of buttons to any key on the keyboard.

The Razer Black Widow Ultimate is by no means a cheap keyboard, however $129 is what you pay for such a comfortable and unique typing experience. Keyboard enthusiasts will understand its worth. But for those that may not want to lay down that much money on a keyboard, there's a cheaper version available for $79, but it lacks the backlit key option. The current Editors' Choice for mechanical keyboards, the Das Keyboard Model S, is also $129, but unlike the Black Widow Ultimate, lacks media function keys and offers less extensive software for enthusiasts. For these reasons the Razer Black Widow Ultimate is the new Editors' Choice for mechanical gaming keyboards.

Razer Black Widow Ultimate

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